Gate.



Patented December 6, 1904.

WILLIAM D. HARMON, OF RIOHWOOD, OHIO.

GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 776,590, dated December 6, 1904. Application filed August 4, 1904. Serial No. 219,490. (No model.)

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM D. HARMON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richwood, in the county of Union and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Gate, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to gates, more particularly to farm-gates, and has for its object to improve the construction and produce a gate of increased strength and durability and wherein the free or swinging end is supported from sagging when closed and likewise locked from lateral movement at the lower side.

Another object of the invention is to produce a gate wherein the free or swinging end is locked in its closed position at both its upper and lower sides and likewise prevented from sagging when closed. 7

With these and other objects in view,which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in certain novel features of construction, as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which corresponding parts are denoted by like designating characters, is illustrated the preferred form of the embodiment of the invention capable of carrying the same into practical operation, it being understood that the invention is not necessarily limited thereto, as various changes in the shape, proportions, and general assemblage of the parts may be resorted to without departing from the principle of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

In the drawings thus employed, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved gate in its closed position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of the gate at the swinging end, together with a portion of the adjacent fence, illustrating the operation of the locking mechanism. Fig. 3 is atransverse sectional view of Fig. 1.

The improved gate is of the ordinary con struction with the vertical members 10 11 12 and the spaced horizontal rails 13, differing only from the ordinary gate in having the lowermost rail 14 pivoted at 15 in the verticalmember 12 and free to swing vertically by its other end 16. r

The members 10 11 12 are disposed in pairs and secured to opposite sides of the rails 13 and the members 11 12 extended at their lower ends to embrace the opposite sides of the movable rail 14, the end members 12 having the rail 14 pivoted between them and the intermediate members 11, forming guides to the movable rail as it is raised and lowered. Attached to opposite sides of the movable rail 14, near its free end, as by a pivot 17 are bars 18 19, extending upwardly at opposite sides of the rails and connected above the upper rail by a tie-bolt 20 and one of the bars, as 19, extended into a handle 21, the bolt 20 having a roller 22, if required.

The gate is hinged, as at 23, in the ordinary manner to a post 2 1 at one side of the gate way-opening and swings past a post at the opposite side of the gateway-opening. Disposed adjacent to the post 25 is a stop member 26, preferably in the form of a short post or stake, provided with an upwardly-opening socket 27 to receive the free end 16 of the movable rail 14: when the latter is in position parallel to the rails 13, as in Fig. 1.

Pivoted to the bars 18 19 at 28 is a latchbar 29, extending between the members 10, for seating in a socket in the post 25 when projected. The bars 18 19 will be so disposed that when in vertical position or when holding the gate closed they will rest against the members 10, as in Fig. 1. A stop-bolt 30 is inserted through the members 10 above the latch member 29 to prevent direct upward movement of the members 18 19 and the movable rail 14 when the gate is closed.

By this arrangement when the parts are arranged and assembled as shown in Fig. 1 the gate will be firmly supported from lateral movement and locked in closed position both at the lower side by means of the lower rail 14, seated in the socketed post 26, and at the upper side by the latch-bar 29, and also supported vertically and prevented from sagging by the coaction of the bars '18 19, movable rail 1 1, latch-bar 29, and stop-bolt 30, as will be obvious.

When the gate is to be opened, the bars 18 19 are moved by the handle 21 toward the hinge end of the gate, the bolt 20 or roller 22 running along the upper rail 13 and drawing the latch member 29 out of its socket in the post 25 and also elevating the rail 14 clear of its socket 27 in the stop-post26 and releasing the gate.

The whole construction is simple, convenient to operate, and will be found very cflicient for the purposes described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- A swinging gate having its lower longitudinal rail pivoted, a stop member disposed in the path of said gate and having an upwardlyopening socket adapted to receive the free end of said pivoted rail for preventing lateral swinging movement of the gate in either direction, a lock-bar slidably disposed upon the free end of the gate, lever-arms embracing the opposite sides of said gate and connected at one end to the pivoted rail and at the op- 

